Family Briefs

Written by Press Staff Writer

August 15, 2013

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Nominees sought for Steel Magnolia AwardNominations have been extended to Aug. 31 for Walbridge-area residents to be considered for the fifth annual Steel Magnolia Award, the Middletown Community Foundation has announced.

Women who have overcome obstacles to positively impact the greater Walbridge community have the opportunity to earn recognition as Steel Magnolia Award recipients in the program funded by the AK Steel Foundation. Up to 10 awards are given annually, limited to no more than one recipient per AK Steel U.S. location per year. Each recipient designates a $1,000 donation to an eligible charity of her choice.

The award honors women of all ages who have faced personal adversity and have shown exceptional strength, courage, compassion and leadership through their work in support of their communities.

The North Coast Big Band will wrap up the Hayes Presidential Center's 2013 Verandah Concert Series with a performance set for Aug. 21 at 7pm. The concert will be preceded by an old-fashioned ice cream social at 6:45pm.

Last year’s Walbridge-area honoree was the late Christine Bosch of Millbury, whose parents chose for her $1,000 award to support her former school, Cardinal Stritch High School.

Bosch was born with Down syndrome but grew to be a faithful volunteer in her community prior to her death in 2011 shortly before her 35th birthday. She was an active member of St. Jerome Church, being its top festival ticket-seller for two years.

She received the ARC Lucas County Volunteer of the Year Award in 2007 for her work with Help Me Grow. For nine years, she served as the manager for the boys’ basketball team at Cardinal Stritch. The school awarded her an honorary posthumous diploma and placed her photo on the school Athletic Wall of Fame last year.

Nominations, which should take the form of an essay of 500 words or less, must be submitted to the program administrator, the Middletown Community Foundation, no later than Aug. 31. Nominees must live in the vicinity of an AK Steel facility. Association with AK Steel is not a requirement for nomination and will have no bearing on the nominee’s consideration.

Friday night’s activities include karaoke, food and beverages. Saturday’s highlights include a flea market, craft sale, kids’ games, bingo, 50/50 raffles and food and beer. Entertainment will include Nite Express at 4 p.m. and The Storm at 7:30 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Ohio VFW Charities.

St. John’s Cruise InVehicle owners are invited to show off their cars, bikes, golf carts, street rods and dune buggies at St. John’s United Church of Christ’s first annual Cruise In held Aug. 18 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The church is located at 1213 Washington St., Genoa.

Registration is optional, however the first 50 to sign up will receive a dash plaque and one drink ticket. An optional $10 donation will be welcomed for the church’s Mission Fund.

Dog owners can let their pooches romp and play all they want and then take them home fresh and clean after a good bathing.

The donation is $8 for one dog, $15 for two dogs and $20 for three dogs. Nail trims will be available for $5.

Child care enrollingThe East Toledo Family Center is accepting enrollments for its Before- and After-School Child Care Program, which is open to children ages 5-12. Services are provided to most of the East Toledo Elementary Schools. The Before-School Program hours is offered from 6:30-9 a.m. The After-School Program hours are 3-6 p.m. Safe transportation is provided to and from each school.

Childcare is also provided to registered children when TPS is delayed or closed for teacher work days and vacation days during the school year.

The fee is $40 for each program and $75 for both. The program participates in Department of Jobs and Family Services.

For more information, call Cheryl Amborski at 419-691-1429m ext. 210.

Verandah Concert finaleMembers of the North Coast Big Band will perform a 90-minute concert as the finale to the 2013 Verandah Concert Series Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.

The music will be preceded by an old-fashioned ice cream social at 6:45 p.m. Admission is free thanks to the generosity of Fremont Federal Credit Union.

Attendees should bring their own seat or blanket and come prepared for the weather.

North Coast Big Band performances typically include 18-23 songs that encompass a mixture of instrumental and vocal music, including Big Band hits from the 1930s-1950s, and some modern jazz selections.

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is located at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues. For more information, call 800-998-PRES or visit www.rbhayes.org.

Free community concertPerrysburg Commons will host a concert on the lawn of their courtyard (or in their dining room if inclement weather) Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. Perrysburg Commons is located at 10542 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg.

The New Fashioned Band presenting the sounds of Frank Sinatra will be the evening’s entertainment. Thanks to sponsors Heartland Outpatient Therapy and Northwest Ohio Medical Equipment, the event is free and open to the community. Light refreshments will be served. Please bring your own lawn chair.

For more information, call Kelly Ebersbach at 419-874-1931 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

DVD offers help for stuttering“Stuttering and Your Child: Help For Parents” – DVD designed to help parents detect stuttering and take action toward helping their child, is available for check-out at the Oak Harbor and other area libraries.

Produced by the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, the film describes what kinds of stuttering young children may exhibit, how parents can help at home, and the role of a speech pathologist in evaluating and treating children who stutter.

“Stuttering typically begins between the ages of 2 and 5,” said Barry Guitar, Ph.D., professor and chair of Communication Sciences at the University of Vermont in Burlington. “It may begin gradually or suddenly, and many of these children outgrow their disfluencies naturally. However, if a child continues to stutter for several months, or appears to be frustrated by it, parents should seek assistance.”

“Parents are relieved to discover that they are not alone and that other parents share their concerns,” says speech pathologist Kristin Chmela.

“Stuttering remains a mystery to most people,” notes Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation. “Watching a young child struggle to speak can be devastating. This DVD is designed to reassure parents and families that many preschoolers stutter, that they can be helped, and how parents can play a vital role in this process.”

Books and DVDs produced by the 66-year-old nonprofit Stuttering Foundation are available free to any public library. Any library that would like to shelve them may contact the Foundation at 1-800-992-9392, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.stutteringhelp.org or www.tartarmudez.org.

7 Tips for talking with your child about stuttering

1. Speak with your child in an unhurried way, pausing frequently.

2. Reduce the number of questions you ask your child.

3. Use your facial expressions and other body language to convey to your child that you are listening to the content of her message and not to how she's talking.

4. Set aside a few minutes at a regular time each day when you can give your undivided attention to your child.

5. Help all members of the family learn to take turns talking and listening.

6. Observe the way you interact with your child.

7. Above all, convey that you accept your child as he is.

Aus-some zoo fun With school bells just about ready to ring, the Toledo Zoo invites area families to enjoy some fun from Down Under at “Wild Walkabout,” which runs through Sept. 2. The Aus-some fun starts with animal feeds and enrichment demonstrations that change daily. From cassowaries to Great Barrier Reef fish, visitors can their favorite animals chow down or interact with keepers and enrichment objects. Animal feeds and enrichment demonstrations are free with regular Zoo admission.

Discover more fun in Nature’s Neighborhood, the award-winning children’s zoo. The Play Stream is open for summer splashing, while in the air-conditioned indoors, visitors will encounter animals in The Forest, an interactive green screen in Jumpin’ Junction and kids’ programs in The Workshop. The Contact Yard gets you close to some groovy goats, and indoors, guinea pigs are waiting to greet visitors. There are also daily live animal shows.